Former federal lawmaker Senator Shehu Sani has said the 2027 presidential race should be contested among President Bola Tinubu, Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate Peter Obi, and other Southern candidates, arguing that Northern politicians — including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar — should wait until the South completes an eight-year tenure before seeking the presidency.
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In a post on X, Sani acknowledged that power rotation between the North and South isn’t a constitutional requirement, but argued it remains an equitable principle worth upholding.
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“The 2027 political contest should be between Tinubu, Peter Obi, Sowore, Makinde, Adebayo, Duke and other Southern Candidates. The South should complete its eight years,” he wrote. “It’s not constitutional but it’s equitable. We should not bury our heads in the sand and deny the realities and complexities of our history.”
Sani argued that once the South completes its eight years in power, the North should then hold an “unchallengeable right” to the presidency in 2031. He also issued a pointed warning to those dismissing the rotation principle for 2027, suggesting that if it isn’t honoured this cycle, it won’t be honoured in 2031 either.
His comments come as Atiku Abubakar — now the presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) — faces criticism over his decision to enter the 2027 race before the South completes a full eight-year term. Atiku has defended his candidacy, maintaining that Nigeria’s Constitution contains no provision barring anyone from contesting the presidency at any given time.
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